IN TWEETS: Tributes pour in for legendary photographer Sam Nzima

His son, Thulani Nzima, confirmed his father passed on at a hospital in Mbombela. The photographer had collapsed two days earlier but did not recover in the hospital, he said.

Ramaphosa conveyed his condolences to the Nzima family on behalf of his government and the people of South Africa. The compelling photo shows 16-year-old Mbuyisa Makhubu carrying the crumpled body of 13-year-old Hector Pieterson, as Pieterson's sister reacts in horror.

When Sam Nzima was growing up in his village of Lillydale in Bushbuckridge, he dreamt big and wanted to make a difference.

According to SA Histroy Online, Nzima took up photography after being fascinated by a camera belonging to his teacher at school. "This came at a price to Nzima who was subjected to countless acts of intimidation".

President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to the self-taught veteran photographer, who was placed under house arrest for 19 months after the image was published. But he became proud when he saw the lasting influence of his photo and its contribution to ending apartheid, he said.

For years, Nzima struggled for the copyright of the image due to the fact that the institution that he worked for at the time believed that they owned the rights to the photo.